Insight
by MaybeWeAre
Summary: Regina is good at concealing her emotions, but her heart gives her away. While he guards her heart, Robin learns a lot about Regina - especially when it comes to her feelings about Emma.


Robin kept Regina's heart on his person at all times, not daring to entrust it to anyone else. Why Regina had chosen him to protect it, Robin didn't know, but he wasn't about to fail her. He kept the pouch tucked between layers of his clothing, the rhythmic beating a constant reminder that it was there.

It was a strange experience, having someone's heart. Robin hadn't expected it to teach him so much. He'd been trying to get some sort of insight into the walled-off queen for weeks now, but her heart gave her away.

It wasn't just the look of it, dark with a few bright patches of red, although that spoke volumes. It was when Robin woke with a start in the middle of the night because it was beating so hard and fast. He knew something was wrong, he raced to her house, but the pounding slowed before long. Perhaps it had just been a nightmare. He didn't ask, didn't want to make Regina regret her trust in him. Besides, nothing appeared to be amiss, and the yellow vehicle in the driveway made it clear that the sheriff had gotten to her first.

The sheriff. Robin wasn't sure how to feel about her. He wasn't sure how Regina felt, either. He'd been able to observe Regina, Emma, and Henry in the diner a few times. When Regina talked to her son, or even just looked at him, her heart swelled to match the deep sadness in her eyes.

For Emma, though, when it was just the two of them – and it always seemed to be just the two of them, even in the middle of the crowded restaurant – Regina's heart did a million different things. Some days the beats were slow but hard, and on others the heart fluttered as though it was a bird he had strapped to him.

He probably should have known just from watching them together, but Robin knew he'd been blinded by his own attraction towards Regina. The heart, though, bucking and leaping in its pouch, made it clear that he'd never stood a chance.

Regina was undeniably in love with Emma Swan.

He followed the queen out of the diner, falling into step beside her and watching as she appraised him out of the corner of her eye. Regina said nothing, waiting for some sort of explanation.

"I've been wondering," Robin said before Regina's expression could turn to irritation. "Why me? Why was I the one you entrusted with your heart?"

"You're a thief," Regina said simply. "If someone tried to steal it from you, you'd know.

"I'm not the only thief in town," Robin said pointedly, and Regina came to a stop.

Her look was somewhere between bored and irritated. "You were convenient."

"Because you don't care what I think of you," he added. "And, more importantly, you don't think of me at all. You couldn't give it to the person you trust most, because it would give you away."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Regina sighed impatiently. "If you don't want to guard my heart any longer, just give it back and leave me alone."

"You could have given it to Emma," Robin persisted.

Regina didn't respond, her face not betraying any emotion. But just the simple name sped her heart. Robin took her hand and pressed it over the spot where the heart was concealed, letting her feel for yourself.

"You should tell her," Robin said. "You feel so much for her. Enough that you gave your heart to someone you hardly know rather than risk her finding out what I have." He pulled out the pouch and handed it back to Regina. "And put that back in before you tell her, so you can feel it."

"You're an idiot," Regina said, but her voice was too soft to be menacing.

"You're not fooling anyone," Robin replied. His job done, he turned and walked away.

Regina stood for a moment on the sidewalk, and then she pulled her heart from its pouch. She slipped it back into place, Zelena be damned, and flung the diner door open wide before she could second-guess herself.

Emma glanced up immediately at her arrival, and Regina could feel her heart fluttering within her at the smile the blonde shot her way. She strode across the diner, taking Emma by the wrist and leading her to the back room.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Emma asked, coming to a stop and turning Regina to face her.

Heart racing, Regina gave the blonde a shy smile. "I put my heart back in. I don't want Robin to have it anymore."

Now Emma looked even more concerned. "What did he do? I'll kill him."

"He did a fine job," Regina soothed. "Everything's fine, Emma. I just can't let him keep my heart." She ducked her head, a surprisingly shy move, and glanced back up at Emma. "It's yours. It's been yours for a while."

Emma looked shocked, but thankfully happy, and Regina stepped forward and kissed her. She was grateful for the heart dancing in her chest.


End file.
